Discover Pilates with Amy McCauley

In 1995 I was in college studying Physical Education with a concentration in Athletic Training. I wanted to start teaching group exercise. I loved fitness and shortly after discovered my love for Pilates.

I got certified to teach group fitness in 1995. Step, power punch, high/low aerobics, slide were the big workouts to do back then. It wasn’t until 2000 that I discovered Pilates. I practiced for a year under an instructor and decided I wanted to begin teaching it myself. It was much different then anything I had been teaching before.

Pilates is a complete mind-body connection. I fell in love with how it made me feel. I was able to connect with my students. It was more than just a workout. When you correctly execute a Pilates movement, every muscle in your body will be activated. There are approximately 640 muscles in the human body and I am pretty sure every single one gets activated during an hour session of mat Pilates.

Pilates evolved from the work of Joseph Pilates. He was a German man who immigrated to the US in 1926. His story is very intriguing and I would encourage you to research him. A man with an idea that would change the way fitness integrated the mind-body connection.

I would encourage every person who reads this article to try it. If you are not comfortable in a gym studio, try a private studio or my newest Pilates DVD called: Body Empowered by Pilates. I guarantee once you try it, you will continue to practice it. My motto: “If it challenges you, it will change you.”